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Month: December 2023
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Winter Rally Recap
The winter rally, kicked off a week of school spirit, with Monday’s theme being white out.
Before going in, McClatchy staff gave out glow-in-the-dark sticks, and when you finally stepped into the gym, you couldn’t help but be captivated by glow-in-the-dark posters decorating the room.
Starting the rally, ROTC delivered an amazing performance during the Star-Spangled Banner with their incredible color guard. Then, we transitioned to the “Night Before Christmas” skit narrated by Santa, a.k.a. Mr. Feikert. It served as a great segue to the hosts for the night, Student Body President Zach and Vice President Olivia. They introduced the iconic Mean Girls skit, a McClatchy tradition.
The crowd’s applause grew after the entertaining performance, followed by an introduction to the winter sports teams at McClatchy, who showcased their lion pride in their big entrance. This was then followed by an outstanding performance from our McClatchy cheer team, keeping us on our feet with their routine.
A pause from our McClatchy talent allowed for some fun games with teachers and students, including Hungry Hippos, musical chairs, and dodgeball. After, a surprise performance by the K-pop club had us all on our feet ready to dance again. The step and dance teams then took the stage, making more get out of their seats, dance, and sing along, making the crowd louder than ever.
Wrapping up the rally, we held hands with our fellow lions and did the classic “CKM” chant. This was a fantastic way to conclude our last week before the new year, creating a memorable moment that will be a highlight among all the rallies this year.
Below are pictures from the rally photographed by Francisco Escobar:
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Snickerdoodles
Is there anything more festive than cinnamon-baked goods? I don’t think so. Apple pies, gingerbread, and of course, snickerdoodles, It’s the season for spiced everything. They just warm the heart and soul so incredibly well. These snickerdoodles should be able to make you feel warm inside as well.
Ingredients
- 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter
- 1 cup white sugar (Plus 2 tablespoons for rolling)
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon (Plus 2 teaspoons for rolling)
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, beat together brown sugar, white sugar, and butter until light and fluffy.
- Add vanilla extract, then add eggs and beat until creamy.
- In a separate, medium, bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, salt, and cream of tartar until combined.
- Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture 1 half at a time, and mix until just before fully combined. Repeat with remaining dry ingredients until fully combined.
- In a small bowl, add remaining sugar and cinnamon and mix until combined.
- Make 2 tablespoons worth of dough into balls and put in the sugar mixture.
- Coat each ball thoroughly with the sugar mixture.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes.
- Let cool for at least 30 minutes before eating.
- Enjoy!
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Winter Concert
On December 15th, the McClatchy Music Program held its fantastic performance of “United.” The entire purpose of the show was to celebrate the power of music to bring people together.
The entire performance lasted around 2 hours and was wonderful through and through. The entire music program put on a stellar show with many holiday songs and shifting color schemes throughout each performance.
The first song played was “Carol of the Bells” by Mykola Leontovych, which was performed so well that you could feel the emotion in the song. The following songs were just as good, if not better, as they progressed. The most memorable piece in the entire show was “A Charlie Brown Christmas” by Vince Guaraldi, with “Uma Familia” by Jay Althouse following as a close second.
With changing colors and shifting musicians, the experience was extraordinary. Each song performed was a spectacular display of the abilities of the McClatchy music department. The crowd was captivated throughout, dazzled by the experience. Towards the end of the performance, some audience members were called up onto the stage. On the stage, they put on helmets and were hit on the head with Boomwhacker sticks. It was a very memorable and unexpected experience.
The performance by the McClatchy Music Program was a truly memorable event. This event should continue for many years to come for all to enjoy. With their next event, the Spring Soiree coming in March, it’s sure to be a night to remember.
The season of giving is upon us, and many clubs are finding ways for CKM students to spread joy all around Sacramento. This is the final week before winter break, so many of them are set to conclude this Friday, the 22nd. However, while this is the last opportunity for seasonal community service, stay updated with the following organizations for chances to give back all year round!
Firstly, the Brown Issues club is holding a food and toy drive to support farmworkers this holiday season. Give back to those who put food on our table by donating goods before Friday, December 22nd. The Brown Issues team is looking for non-perishable food and gently used toys to donate. If you have any items from previous donations, consider leaving them with Mr. Meza in room 215 or any Brown Issues member before winter break.
Another drive to take advantage of this week is the Feminist Coalition’s feminine products drive for the Wellspring Women’s Center. The class with the most donations will win a pizza party, so supply as many items as you can for a chance to win. Ask your English teacher if your class is participating in the drive this week; there should be a box for donations in every English classroom.
Finally, the CKM Key Club is holding a potluck this Tuesday, December 19th, where they will be collecting cards to send to the memory care center at the Carlton Senior Living Home. Make your cards in advance and bring them to room 31 during the weekly Key Club meeting at lunch. There will also be community service hours available for anyone who makes a card for the benefit. To get more information, contact a Key Club member or find them on the group’s Instagram, @ckmkeyclub.
There are also dozens of community events all around the Sacramento area this season, with countless organizations putting together opportunities to give back before the holidays arrive. The holidays are a great time to help others and support the community. If you are interested in other ways to support those in need this season, reach out to groups that are important to you and ask what help they need. Many local businesses are also holding similar drives this season, so be sure to stay involved with your community to find ways to help.
The VAPA theater students presented their fall performance last week, featuring William Shakespeare’s tragedy, Romeo and Juliet. It was the classic tale of the fateful star-crossed lovers with an alternative flair. Uniquely cast and styled, the 2023 production of Romeo and Juliet was a post-modern arrangement of a classic told a hundred times before.
Contessa Gonzales, a senior who played Juliet Capulet, said the play needed a fresh take, a different post-modernist view of the story that wasn’t related to the 1996 Luhrman interpretation. She tried not to look at any other renditions of her character so she could be original in her interpretations of the script. Contessa compared this production to the aesthetic of Tim Burton, but others have described it as having pop-punk styles, costumes, and music.
Contessa also expressed that the emphasis on Juliet’s age was very purposeful in her portrayal of the character. Juliet’s emotions are intense, and her immaturity is apparent throughout the drama, as she and Romeo make rash decisions that end in their demise. It’s important to note that many interpretations of the original play believe it was a cautionary tale, considering all the tragedy that ensues.
Dallas Murphy, who was the head of the lighting production, said that the color was very representative of the different eras and settings of the play, with orange representing the Montagues and pink symbolizing romance. Contessa, too, said that the colors of her costumes were coordinated with the events in Juliet’s life; for example, she would always wear red during a death scene.
Myari Adams, the student director of Romeo and Juliet, said her time with the VAPA team was awe-inspiring. She felt that her role as a student director allowed her to get to know everyone on set and even become closer to the people she already knew. She is thankful for the opportunity to work backstage as well as an actor in other productions. If you are interested in theater but not necessarily acting, consider joining the tech team with Dallas and Myari for their next show this school year.
There was a wonderful turnout at every show, and they would like to thank everyone who loyally came to their showings in the fall. If you enjoyed the show, auditions for the winter production, Little Women, are currently taking place for its later performances.
An immediate full-court press was called on the starting play for the McClatchy Lions. Leading the team were the starting five seniors: Sianna Squires, Nina Cain, Kaela Stancil-Williams, Milah Masters, and Norret Lewis.
Starting off strong in the first quarter and never losing the lead, Sianna Squires created the starting three-point advantage. With outstanding ball movement across the floor, along with a brilliant double team on St. Francis’ point guard Sydney Teoh, Nina Cain dominated the floor with defensive rebounds and countless blocks.
The team spirit was evident not only among the players but also in the crowds. The immaculate cheers from the step team and the dances from the cheerleaders made it clear throughout the whole gym that the Troubadours were in the Lions’ Den.
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McClatchy vs. Monterey Trail
The best movies to watch during the holiday season are the ones that hardly have to do with the holidays at all. Most of these do happen to be Christmas-related, but that’s only because there are so many Christmas movies. Regardless of what you celebrate, anyone can enjoy these cheerful, random movies during this festive season. I believe the best part of a Christmas movie is not how it celebrates the holiday itself, but rather how it honors everything associated with the winter season, like family, joy, and giving.
Let’s start by settling the Die Hard debate, it is absolutely a Christmas movie. There’s Christmas music, the plot takes place on Christmas Eve, and it is about a family coming together for the holidays. Besides the violent terrorist attack that the rest of the movie surrounds, at its core, Die Hard is about a guy trying to celebrate Christmas with his family, doing everything in his power to ensure his and his wife’s safety. It’s funny, exciting, and festive, a Holiday movie that will keep everyone happy.
One of my favorite Christmas movies is the 1974 Black Christmas, a classic horror movie about a sorority house that is visited by someone much more sinister than the Holly Jolly Santa Claus on one Christmas Eve. Despite its festive name, the movie doesn’t have much to do with Christmas at all and instead is a suspenseful horror movie that is genuinely super scary. There were a few remakes made over the years, but I wouldn’t bother with any of them, none compared to the horrifying original. The 1974 version is free on a handful of platforms, so I highly recommend it if you’re looking for a frightful holiday movie to start the season.
Another favorite of mine is Greta Gerwig’s 2019 Little Women, based on the 19th-century book written by Louisa May Alcott. This movie follows the lives of four sisters amidst the American Civil War, as they take on love, family, and their careers. There is only one short Christmas scene, but the movie is joyful and keeps the holiday spirit high throughout the story. Little Women may also be the most critically acclaimed movie on this list, winning over a dozen Academy Awards when it was released.
Edward Scissorhands is not necessarily a holiday movie, but it takes place partly during Christmas, so I always watch it around this time of year. If you haven’t seen it, Edward Scissorhands is a Tim Burton film about a man with scissors for hands learning to find love and family as he explores the world after being forsaken by his creator. It’s a wholesome movie about unconditional love that can be enjoyed all year round, but it’s especially appropriate during the holiday season.
Gremlins is probably the most campy movie on this list, as the horror-comedy is about a small town being overrun by strange, singing creatures, called the “mogwai.” Don’t be fooled by its horror genre, this movie is hilarious. The creatures that the movie surrounds are small, fuzzy, and tiny until they turn evil, green, and scaly, not exactly the most intimidating villains. It’s lighthearted and one of the most festive movies on this list, a great family movie to celebrate with this year.
Finally, if you’re in a more dramatic mood, Carol is a festive romance that takes place during the Christmas season but doesn’t have the cheesy Hallmark energy that most Christmas romances have. The movie is about two women who bond and slowly fall in love after meeting in a department store during a hectic winter day. Carol is a tender romance that is sweet if you are looking for a slow burn that is well-made and still festive enough to celebrate with.
I hope you find yourself enjoying some of these unusual holiday movies this winter, no matter what you may celebrate during this time of year. Sure, most if not all of these are Christmas movies, but that’s only because there are so many of them made. If you have any holiday movies that you love to watch that aren’t listed or aren’t necessarily Christmas-themed, feel free to share them below and keep the recommendations going.